Claire's Busted Again for Asbestos in Cosmetics
Claire’s makeup and beauty supply chain is under fire again after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration released a “Safety Alert” announcing that ongoing testing of Claire’s cosmetic talc makeup products revealed the presence of asbestos. The Safety Alert also revealed that asbestos was found in a cosmetic talc product manufactured by another company, Beauty Plus Global.
The products in which asbestos was found are:
- Claire's JoJo Siwa Makeup Set, SKU #888711136337, Batch/Lot No. S180109
- Beauty Plus Global Contour Effects Palette 2, Batch No. S1603002/PD-C1179
This comes in the wake of the FDA’s March 2019 Safety Statement and Recall Alert after testing revealed asbestos in Claire’s eye makeup.
The company asserts that it "stands behind the safety of Claire's cosmetic items, as such small trace amounts are considered acceptable under European and Canadian cosmetic safety regulations." However, Claire's website states that in the last year the company has switched to talc-free manufacturing for all its cosmetics “out of an abundance of caution” and to prevent any further concerns about talc contamination.
After seeing now two reports of asbestos detected in Claire’s cosmetic products marketed to young girls, many are shocked to learn that, in the United States, the cosmetics industry is essentially self-regulated. Current laws do not require cosmetics to be approved by the FDA or any other regulatory agency and there is little oversight after products reach the marketplace.
By way of contrast, Canada and Europe have banned only 1,300 ingredients from use in cosmetics, while the U.S. has banned only 11. Chapter VI of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, which applies to cosmetics, has not been updated since it was first enacted in 1938. This is the result of extensive lobbying efforts on the part of the cosmetics industry.
For over 80 years, corporate lobbyists have convinced lawmakers “there’s nothing to see here,” when it comes to cosmetics. But with recent testing revealing the almost unimaginable—cancer causing asbestos in makeup marketed to young American girls—lawmakers need to wake up!
We have regulations protecting construction and industrial workers from asbestos exposure when working around dangerous heat and steam generating machinery. How can there be NO regulations protecting users of seemingly benign cosmetic talc products, young and old, from the very same carcinogen?!
Environmental Working Group calls on Congress to Reform Government Oversight of Cosmetics
FDA Confirms Asbestos in Claire's Makeup; Acknowledges Need for Regulation of Cosmetics Industry
NYT Report Finds Cosmetics Industry's Lax Regulations Hurts Consumers
